1. Field
Embodiments described herein generally relate to binder compositions and methods for making and using same. More particularly, such embodiments relate to binder compositions for making composite products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Composite products, e.g., fiberglass and wood products, require certain properties such as tear strength, cure time, internal bond strength, and the like. For example, an important process variable encountered when making commercial and industrial fiberglass insulation products is cure time. Curing composite products can be accomplished, at least in part, by heating a mixture of particles, e.g., fiberglass and/or wood particles, and the binder composition. The speed at which the manufacturing equipment used to produce commercial and industrial fiberglass insulation operates makes it desirable and often necessary to reduce the time required to cure the binder composition to as short a time as possible.
When the binder composition cures, there is a variable temperature profile with the surfaces of the product reaching a greater temperature than a center or core region of the product. As such, the time required to cure a composite product depends, at least in part, on the temperature required to sufficiently cure the binder at the center of the product. Accordingly, binder compositions that cure at a reduced temperature, e.g., 195° C. as compared to 205° C., can be more readily used in the production of composite products such as commercial and industrial fiberglass insulation because the core of the product does not need to be heated to as high of a temperature. By not having to heat the core of the product to as high of a temperature, the time required to cure the binder can be reduced.
There is a need, therefore, for improved binder compositions having reduced cure temperatures for making composite products.